Latest Updates

UPDATE 25th May 2020

WA Premier: Easing of more regional borders as of May 29th just in time for the Long Weekend! Details HERE

UPDATE 15th May 2020

WA Premier: Supporting WA businesses re-opening through COVID-19 – Covid Safety Guidelines. 

UPDATE: 13th May

WA Premier: $14.4 million package to support tourism industry and jobs.  New funding package to support and boost small tourism businesses Follows release of the WA Roadmap to get Western Australians back to work safely $10.4 million Tourism Recovery Fund will provide one-off cash grants to assist thousands of businesses to adapt to the new Details HERE

UPDATE: 11th May 2020

WA Premier: Phase 2 will focus on encouraging Western Australians to return to work, unless they are unwell or vulnerable, so the WA economy can further rebuild in a safe and measured way.

It will come into effect from Monday, May 18 (or 11.59pm on Sunday, May 17), giving businesses and families time to plan accordingly, and includes:

• indoor and outdoor non-work gatherings lifted to 20 people;
• people are encouraged to return to work, unless they are unwell or vulnerable;
• cafés and restaurants can reopen with meal service (including within pubs, bars, clubs, hotels and casino), limited to 20 patrons and the four square metre rule applied;
• weddings and funerals, limited to up to 20 attendees (30 for outdoor);
• places of worship, community facilities and libraries to re-open, limited to 20 patrons;
• community sports (non-contact) limited to 20 people;
• outdoor or indoor fitness classes (minimal shared equipment) limited to 20 participants;
• public swimming pools can open under strict rules (one indoor pool and one outdoor pool), limited to 20 patrons per pool.

If businesses or premises want to reopen they will be required to complete an official COVID Safety Plan. More details on this will be released shortly, in consultation with industry.

As part of Phase 2, regional travel restrictions will also change, bringing the number of current borders within Western Australia from 13 to only four (not including the Commonwealth Biosecurity zone and remote communities). The new regional boundaries will allow:

• travel between the South-West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt, Perth and Peel regions;
• travel between the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Pilbara regions (excluding Biosecurity zone);
• travel within the Goldfields-Esperance region (excluding the Biosecurity zone);
• travel permitted between the Kimberley local government areas (the Commonwealth’s Biosecurity zone remains in place).

MORE DETAILS: WA ROADMAP & COMMUNITY ADVICE

Information Sources

The best way to ensure you are making the best decisions for your business is to consult up-to-date, fact-based information sources. Please find below a list of information sources which we feel are most relevant for MRBTA members.

Business Planning & Procedures

While the Margaret River region is currently free from COVID-19, there are a number of precautionary measures and planning exercises which we encourage your business to consider. Please find a summary of these below.

Local Recommended Business Services:

Please check our preferred supplier business directory to assist you with your digital updates or other business support.

MRBTA DIRECTORY

Operational Procedures

• Complete the compulsory AHA Covid-19 Hospitality & Tourism Hygiene Course HERE
• Consult the World Health Organisation’s advice on getting workplace ready for COVID-19 and consider sharing WHO’s information videos with staff.
• Share the Australian Government’s department of Health Coronavirus campaign materials with staff
• Review CCIWA’s Preparing Your Business for COVID-19 microsite. it contains practical information, including an employer guide, protecting your staff, building your business continuity plan, and an Employee Relations FAQ.
• Consider displaying the following posters for the attention of both staff and visitors:
  • Hand Washing Procedure Poster 
  • Coronavirus: Stop the Spread
  • Coronavirus: Know the Signs
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission COVID-19  information for consumers in regard to cancellations, refunds, and closures.
• You are invited to view MRBTA’s own updates to its Policy & Procedures. Please note that it may not be appropriate or relevant for your business to implement the same procedures, and adopting these procedures does not guarantee that your business will be unaffected by COVID-19.

Staff Management

• Australian Workplace Laws
  The Fair Work Ombudsman has released these guidelines on workplace entitlements and obligations if your business is affected by the outbreak of coronavirus.
• Advice for employers from Safe Work Australia
• Employer guide by the AHA, including guidance and stand-down tools, entitlement and obligations. Find out more.
• Self-isolation
  How to self-isolate – via healthdirect.gov.au
• Helping staff to seek support
  • The Australian Government Health Department Coronavirus Health Information Line is available via 1800 020 080, and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week
  • Coronavirus symptom checker – via healthdirect.gov.au
  • Beyond Blue mental health support (managing anxiety) via phone, online chat and email

Strategic Business Management

• Tax relief and advice
  • The ATO has a useful COVID-19 information page where you can find out more about getting small business support. Learn more.

• Financial Planning
  • Businesses across the region are experiencing the impact of cancelled forward-bookings, cruise ships and events. For this reason, it is advisable to revisit any budget plans and forecasts which you may currently have in place, as well as checking that you are comfortable with your current cancellation/refund policies (N.B. cancellation policies cannot be changed for existing bookings).For reference:
  • FAQ: How should my business respond to customer cancellations?

• Communications Planning
  • If there are changes to your business operations, it will be important for the reputation of your business to maintain strong communications with your customers and stakeholders. MRBTA member Janine Pittaway has shared some tips and thought starters to help businesses through the process of communicating issues and crisis responses.
• Further reference: KPMG Managing Critical Moments – Resources to support your organisation’s response to crisis
• Online meetings and conferencing – learn about Webcasting – an alternative to face-to-face meetings.  Read more.

Financial assistance

• The Federal Government’s business hotline is providing additional support to small and medium businesses impacted by COVID-19. Operations at the business.gov.au 13 28 46 Contact Centre will increase to 7 days per week, and provide additional hours of support outside standard operating hours for the first month, answering calls from 7am to 11pm AEST. Also visit treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/businesses.
• If you are a new applicant to Centrelink to access federal government assistance, you need to start the process on myGov.  The website www.servicesaustralia.gov.au has information about how to set up an account or link an existing account to Centrelink.
• The Small Business Development Commission is available to provide advice on State Government financial assistance – call the Hotline on 133140 or visit their website.
• Contact free financial counsellors at the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007
• Shire of Augusta Margaret River has released a COVID-19 Community Care Package. Read more here.

Preparing for Recovery

The region’s economy is heavily reliant on hospitality and tourism and while it is likely that we are still to experience the full impact of COVID-19, it is nevertheless crucial that we also plan for the future once the pandemic subsides, to ensure that the local industry has the best chance of recovery. Driving domestic visitation will play a key role in this recovery and the tourism industry peak bodies are committing substantial levels of investment in marketing campaigns encouraging Australians to holiday domestically.

MRBTA members may wish to be aware of the following initiatives:

• Government of Western Australia announces $607 million stimulus package to support WA households and small businesses
• Tourism Australia – Holiday Here This Year domestic marketing campaign
• Tourism WA multi-million dollar #DoItInWA campaign encourages West Aussies to holiday locally
• Tourism WA State re-brand: WA Tourism – Our Story
• Tourism Council WA calls on the Federal Government to respond to the crisis facing the WA tourism industry and inject $76 million for international marketing, small business support and regional tourism
• Margaret River region destination brand evolution (MRBTA project)

Regional 2020 Events Cancelled or Postponed?

Due to the restriction in place from Covid-19 regarding gatherings of more than 2 people as of April 2020, the following regional events have been postponed, rescheduled or cancelled.

• Emergence Creative 25-27 March POSTPONED
• Good Day Sunshine 21 March RESCHEDULED TO OCTOBER 2020
• South West Yoga Fest 20-22 March CANCELLED
• Margaret River Pro 22 April – 2 May POSTPONED
• Readers & Writers Festival 15-17 May CANCELLED
• ANZAC Day Commemorations CANCELLED
• Jazz by the Bay May 29- June 4 CANCELLED
• Open Studios April 25 – May 10 RESCHEDULED TO SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question which you would like the MRBTA team to answer, please email [email protected] 

Will the new Melbourne-Busselton Jetstar route continue to operate?

Jetstar announced on 19 March that they would delay the inaugural flights from Melbourne to Busselton which were due to commence March 25. It is not sustainable for Jetstar to launch a new flight route at this time.

Jetstar will review the scheduled start date in May 2020 and we will keep you up to date with any more information that we receive.

We are saddened to be sharing this news, given the work that has gone into preparing for the flights from all members within the region as well as the team at MRBTA. The health and well-being of the community however, remains the priority at this time.

We have every reason to believe that the route will commence at the earliest possible opportunity, and that the route will have a better chance of success if it is launched at a time when visitors themselves are more comfortable about travelling interstate.